Flavor Feed

Chef's Notes

Flavorful Fun @ Fairs & Carnivals

July 2020 | McCormick Culinary Team

Big crowds, bright lights and bold food experimentation make every bite the ‘best-ever’.

What's it about Fairs & Carnivals

AN EVENT

There are an estimated 2,000 fairs and carnivals held across the U.S. each year bringing in over 500 million visitors, with many attending several fairs per year. -International Association of Fairs & Expositions

FEATURED FOODS

The Minnesota State Fair has nearly 500 food items to choose from. The Iowa State Fair, a pioneer of the food-on-a-stick trend, offers more than 80 stick-served delicacies. -MN State Fair Fact Sheet; Iowa State Fair

FARE BEYOND THE FAIR

Fair inspired food and drinks are appearing in retail as well as restaurant launches. For example, Sonic Replicated the fun food with a ‘Fair Faves’ menu for a limited time. -Datassential

Key Themes & Tastes:

Takeaways

• Tap into positive consumer emotion by incorporating nostalgic ingredients or flavors into products.
• Don’t hide from extremes and mash-ups. Allow them to be great inspiration for new flavor combinations that push the boundaries and create buzzworthy innovations.

To get started on your innovation inspired by the foods and flavors from fairs & carnivals, contact your McCormick account manager or contact us today.